Sinai Update – May 11-17, 2008
Parashat B’har Sinai (Leviticus 21:1-24:23)
Reflections on the Torah Portion – Rabbi Andy Vogel

In 1753, the Liberty Bell was delivered by ship from London to Philadelphia, bearing an inscription meant to characterize the spirit of the American colonies.  Ordered by the State Assembly of Pennsylvania a few years earlier in 1745, it had been commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the charter of William Penn for a colony that would be based on democratic representation of the will of the people (not royal privilege), limited religious freedom (i.e., for all expressions of Christianity only) and would also prohibit slavery.  The inscription was verse found in this week’s Torah portion:  “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10).  To the shock and dismay of witnesses, it sustained a crack the very first time it was rung, and from then on stood as a symbol of freedom.  
   

Rabbi Lance Sussman writes that the Liberty Bell informs our experience as American Jews.  “The Liberty Bell ideally represents the possibility of Jewish life in the United States unencumbered by governmental decree,” he writes in his article “Let Freedom Ring” (CCAR Journal, Fall 2004).  But the bell also contains some paradoxes:  Christian practices of religion was protected, not all religious expressions, under the Pennsylvania charter, one; and two, the silence of the bell, which cannot ring out sound because of its crack, has been said by some to symbolize the persistence of American racism and xenophobia.  This week, as we Jews read this verse again, we can recommit ourselves to achieve a society in which “all the land’s inhabitants” may truly experience freedom of religion, be assured of our civil and human rights, and realize our hopes for a more perfect and just society for everyone.
 - Rabbi Andy Vogel

This Shabbat @ Temple Sinai
Join us for Erev Shabbat services this Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m., led by Rabbi Vogel and Cantor Toubes.  We welcome the entire community to a special “Prospective Member” Shabbat, featuring tours of the congregation following the service and conversations with our Membership Committee.  During the service, we will honor our graduating 12th graders with blessings for the next steps in their journeys.  The oneg is sponsored by Susan Harr and Sharon Betel-Nicholson, in honor of the graduation 12 graders, and the Membership Committee, organized by Jen Katz.  All are welcome!

Religious School registration day this Sunday, May 18
All families should have received orange religious school registration forms in the mail.   All families who register on Sunday, May 18 will receive a mini challah from Cheryl-Ann's Bakery.  Registration will take place outside Weintraub Auditorium.  If you need another form, kindly contact Director of Education, Heidi Smith Hyde.  Forms will also be available at the Temple on Registration Day.

Last Day of Religious School this Sunday
We will be having our end-of-year assembly and "Zimriah" (song fest) this Sunday, May 18th, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the sanctuary.  The students have prepared a special musical program for the parents, led by music teacher, Shlomit Peer.  Afterwards we will thank the teachers, the madrichim (high school helpers) and, of course, the students!  This is the last "official" day of religious school.  We hope you will be able to attend and hear the students perform.  They have been working very hard on their songs.  Religious school begins, as usual, at 9:30 a.m.  Then at 11:30 a.m. we will all meet in the sanctuary for the concert.

BJE honors Heidi Smith Hyde at “Keter Torah Awards,” next Thursday, May 22
Join Temple Sinai members and the Bureau of Jewish Education at its Annual Meeting and Keter Torah Award ceremony, Thursday, May 22, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. to honor our director of education, Heidi Smith Hyde!  To attend, contact Deborah Gordon: 617.965.7350 x225 . 

SCOOBY event:  Beach Party, Sunday, May 25
Our high school youth group, SCOOBY, will be having a Beach Party, Sunday, May 25 at 4:00 p.m. at Black Rock Beach in Hull / Cohasset.  All Temple Sinai teenagers are encouraged to attend.  For more information, contact SCOOBY advisor, Susan McSweeney or Youth Committee chair Pauline Gerson.

Young Couples Havurah, May 30th
Please join other young couples in our congregation for Shabbat  dinner on Friday, May 30th, at  6:30 PM at the home of David and Lark Speyer (near Cleveland  Circle on the Green C line.)  Please contact David Speyer if you would like to attend the Shabbat dinner.  If you have any questions about Temple Sinai's Young Couples Havurah group, please contact coordinator Susan Dubin.

Coming Soon:  Confirmation & Shavu’ot – June 6 & 8
We congratulate these Confirmation students and their families for reaching a milestone in their life-long Jewish learning:  Daniel Greenberg, Jeremy Perlman, Jesse Seckel-Cerrotti.  Please join us for a special Shabbat evening on Friday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.  Two evenings late, on Sunday, June 8, Temple Sinai celebrates the festival of Shavu’ot, with a 7:30 p.m. service that includes the Book of Ruth and Yizkor prayers, followed by our annual “Tikkun Leil Shavu’ot” late-night study at 9:00 p.m. with Minyan Shaleym.  All are welcome.

Distinguished Service Award, June 20
The Distinguished Service Award Committee has announced that Rochelle Seltzer is the recipient of this year’s Harry Wheeler Distinguished Service Award.  This award, given annually since 1956, will be presented to Rochelle at Erev Shabbat Services on Friday evening, June 20, at 7:30 p.m.  Rochelle has taken on many roles at Temple Sinai, including her recent service as Board Vice President and active participant in the Temple’s Community Conversations project.  Save the date and plan join us as we honor Rochelle on June 20th.

Do you have any hidden (or not so hidden) editing skills?
Temple Sinai could use your support.  Next fall, you will see some big changes in the Sinai News mailed to you each month.  There will be a new, seasonal publication in a magazine format containing commentary, news of interest to the community, along with information on gifts, a listing of yahrzeits, articles by the clergy and staff, and more.   That publication will be edited by our current Sinai News content editor, Dennis Cerrotti.   A new, shorter monthly edition of the Sinai News, published September through June, will contain brief news articles about upcoming events and a monthly calendar.  The first edition of that newsletter is slated for September.  We need your editing skills!   We are seeking a Content Editor to work with Jill Winitzer, our dynamite Production and Design Editor on this brand, new four-page publication.   The editing job promises access to all the news that is fit to print...and the news that you decide is not fit to print!  It will also allow you to work with our phenomenal Temple clergy and staff to bring lots of great information to our congregation and the community at large.  Please contact Linda Katz or me if you want to learn more.
  -Harvey Cotton

Thank you to many!
Last weekend, Temple Sinai celebrated Israel’s 60th birthday with a special service and Israel Seder and dinner.   An Israel hagaddah was created especially for the event and Israeli foods were served.  Thank you to the members of the Israel Committee who helped Rabbi Vogel write the hagaddah, which told the story of the State of Israel through historical first-person narratives, descriptions and interviews.   Thank you, too, to the many people who helped with the meal last Friday:  Janet Fine, Larry Hardoon, Martha Hausman, Charlie Homer, Sandy Goldfless, Shirley Partoll, Sheila and Harry Shulman, Heidi Smith-Hyde, and Merav Socolovsky.  Special thanks to Caryl Hull and Karen Stoler who coordinated and organized the event.

On Saturday evening, an auction and coffee house took place at the Temple.  Attendees enjoyed piano entertainment and were able to bid on numerous items donated by members of the community.  More than $7,500 was raised at that event.  Thank you to the many people who did the hard work to make the evening such a success:  Deena Blau, Ellen Blinder, Ellen Bruder-Moore, Alex Cooper, Marc Cooper, Harvey Cotton, Ina Cutler, Leah Camhi, Ken Freedman, Pauline Gerson ,Susan Harr, Jon Katz, Sondra Katz, Michael Klau, Ilse Leeser, Rose Mandeblaum,  Jennifer Meader, Elaine Ober, Zippy Ostroy, Shirley Partoll,  Helen Perlman,  Lucy Sandler, Julie Sandell, Ruth Sharpe, Harry and Sheila Shulman, Sheila Vernick, Arlene Weintraub, and Jill Winitzer.  Thank you, as well, to all who donated the items and services auctioned off last Saturday.  Special thanks to Cathy Cotton, Randi Hopkins, and Janet Seckel Cerrotti the Auction Chairs, who organized this fabulous event. 

To everyone who has driven for Family Table,
 I was just at Family Table to deliver the Temple Sinai contribution and they indicated that they are in desperate need of drivers for this upcoming Sunday delivery, May 18, 2008  11:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. for orientation and bagging; delivery afterward.   If you can help, please contact Margie Nesson at Family Table before 3:00 p.m. Friday at 781-693-5649

--Sandy Ostroy, Chair, Social Action Committee

In the community…
URJ Eisner Camp 50th Shabbat Celebration  Commemorate 50 years of Eisner Camp!  On Friday and Saturday, July 25-26, the Camp Eisner community is invited to gather for a Shabbat celebration at Camp Eisner in Great Barrington, Massachusetts to join hundreds of other family, friends, congregations and alumni in a weekend to celebrate Camp Eisner’s 50th anniversary.  There will be Shabbat services, a Shabbat song session, Israeli dancing, other camp activities, a concert by Joshua Nelson, fireworks, Havdallah – and more!  Bring the family.   Registration is limited.   For information and to register, visit www.eisneralumni.org/50th.htm .